Chapter 22: The Glorious Alpha part 1
Bai Mu left the manor with Han Naijin’s group early in the morning, heading to the viewing stand on Huckman Street, in front of Independence Square, to wait for the ceremony.
Huckman Street was named after the first Consul of Laea City. It was also this great Consul who had transformed Laea City from a desolate prison planet into a city-state with a free will.
It was still some time before the Independence Day celebration began, yet the seats on the viewing stand were already full. Those invited to watch from the stand were all influential figures from various sectors of Laea City. People exchanged greetings and sat down politely. Bai Mu sat alone in the most inconspicuous corner. With nothing to do, he glanced around casually.
Both sides of the street were already packed with people for the parade and carnival. People wore exaggerated costumes and bright face paint, waving flags or banners. Everyone was full of anticipation for the upcoming festivities.
By now, Han Naijin was already standing in the center of the viewing stand. Today, he was wearing a formal military uniform. The crisp, black uniform made his figure appear even taller and more handsome, with broad shoulders and long legs. His lean, firm build and usually lazy temperament were hidden beneath the strict and orderly uniform. At this moment, his expression was solemn, and he radiated a dignified and majestic aura.
Furthermore, Bai Mu noticed that Han Naijin was wearing a complex and exquisite sash across his chest. The silver sash draped from his shoulder across his chest, adding another layer of inviolable aura to him. In the eyes of the public, Han Naijin was shining brilliantly.
Some people were born with the air of looking down upon the world, Bai Mu thought.
It was still a few minutes before the hour. Bai Mu decided to go to the restroom.
Bai Mu left the viewing stand and went down the stairs, following the signs toward the end of the corridor. Opposite the restroom was the locker room, and many people were lingering in both areas. Bai Mu only swept a glance at the crowd when his body froze. A wave of chill rose within him because, among the flowing crowd, he saw a familiar figure!
The man was hidden in the crowd, wearing camouflage pants and a black tank top. He was strong and fit, and his face was covered in thick red and green oil paint. Yet Bai Mu recognized him at a glance.
It was the mercenary who had been following him!
Bai Mu became fully alert, yet he continued to walk forward as if nothing were wrong. Seeing that Bai Mu had recognized him, the mercenary gave a cunning smile and walked toward him. As they brushed past each other, the mercenary leaned toward his ear and said like an old friend, “How have you been lately?”
Bai Mu walked straight past, not giving the mercenary a single look. As he passed, he heard a mutter from behind: “Seems like you’re doing well.”
The mercenary didn’t follow him into the restroom. Bai Mu hadn’t expected the mercenary to let him off so easily. However, the mercenary’s presence here also proved that he had never escaped the surveillance of the mercenary and the boss behind him for a single moment.
Regarding the boss behind the mercenary, Bai Mu had a vague suspicion. Thinking of that person, a complex look flashed through Bai Mu’s eyes, and his heart was once again shrouded in gloom.
Bai Mu let out a sigh into the mirror, then washed his hands and left the restroom. The mercenary was long gone. When he returned to the viewing stand, he happened to see Han Naijin looking toward him. Han Naijin seemed to turn his head casually, yet when he saw him, he gave a slight curl of his lips. Seeing that he had returned, Han Naijin turned his gaze back, standing as straight as a pine tree.
Not long after Bai Mu sat down, the loud and resonant sound of a bell rang across Independence Square. The noisy crowd instantly quieted down. Everyone held their breath and waited.
The bell rang ten times, and the crowd erupted.
Cheers, shouts—people hugged and kissed, doing all sorts of crazy things to express their joy.
At this time, a giant holographic screen was projected in the center of the square. Bai Mu looked toward the screen and saw a figure in the center. The man was in a black military uniform, the silver sash on his chest dazzling. His handsome face wore a perfect smile. He waved to the crowd, and the people let out frantic screams.
Perhaps infected by the crowd’s frenzy, the corners of Bai Mu’s mouth also curled up uncontrollably. On the screen, Han Naijin smiled and kept waving to everyone. After a burst of jubilation, Han Naijin placed a finger against his lips, signaling for the crowd to be quiet. Everyone truly went silent, staring intently at the young Consul on the screen.
Han Naijin spread his hands forward, his palms empty. Then he clenched his left hand into a fist and lightly brushed his right hand over it. A golden rose appeared magically in his palm.
Han Naijin held the golden flower to his lips and gave a brilliant smile to the crowd.
Another burst of cheers and screams.
The rose was the favorite flower of the citizens of Laea City; it represented freedom, passion, and romance, just like the people themselves.
A series of thunderous booms echoed in the sky. Dozens of mechas fired colored salutes, and vibrant colors dispersed in the air. Dozens of mechas were lined up in neat formations. Those world-destroying giants from battle were now clumsily dancing in the sky. After the dance, they even formed the shape of a heart.
The gloom in Bai Mu’s heart was also dispelled by this clumsy yet cute performance. The Empire had similar festival activities, but they would never let mechas dance in the sky. In the Empire, mechas were sacred, representing the Empire’s strongest combat power and the most powerful backbone of the Empire’s interstellar hegemony. How could they be used for entertainment?
But in Laea City, such concerns seemed nonexistent. It seemed everything could be used for entertainment, including the Consul.
Once the mecha performance was over, they all vanished from the sky instantly. Han Naijin gave some official remarks, and then the parade and carnival officially began.
The wide streets were packed with people. Everyone cheered and shouted, dancing to the upbeat music playing on the large screens. Like a spring tide breaking a dam, the crowd surged toward Independence Square, waiting there to watch the float parade.
The people on the viewing stand also stood up, moving toward the front for a better view. Bai Mu followed the crowd to the front of the stand.
Several floats slowly approached from the distance. Each float had a different theme. Bai Mu didn’t understand them, but he felt they were likely stories about Laea City.
People wore either low or bright smiles, appreciating the passing floats.
Vibrant floats, people in elaborate costumes, dazzling fireworks—Bai Mu watched the bizarre world before him, and a similar fragment from deep in his memory surfaced. His thoughts gradually drifted away from the grand and noisy scene before him, tracing back along the flood of memory.
That was also a grand and lively day, with a scene no less grand than the current one. It happened when he was fourteen and had just differentiated into an Omega.
Little Bai Mu had snuck out of the children’s welfare home to watch the heir’s coming-of-age ceremony on the street.
The welfare home didn’t allow the children to go out as they pleased on that day. Children were naughty and loved to cause trouble, and the head of the home feared they would provoke problems. But teenage boys always had an exceptionally strong curiosity and a hint of rebellion. The more something was forbidden, the more they wanted to try.
Little Bai Mu reached the street. Both sides were packed with people. He spent quite a bit of effort to squeeze to the front of the crowd.
The Empire’s only heir, Prince Phelps, had differentiated into an Alpha with A-grade mental power. The Emperor had ordered this grand coming-of-age ceremony for Prince Phelps.
Little Bai Mu’s luck was exceptionally good that day. He found a spot with an excellent view. Even better, Prince Phelps was in a stretched maglev car decorated with flowers. Under the escort of a group of soldiers, he was slowly approaching.
The Prince sat in the car, wearing complex and elegant retro ceremonial attire. His brown hair was shoulder-length, and his blue eyes were spirited, handsome, and noble. He naturally accepted the blessings and admiration of the citizens, waving from time to time to express his gratitude.
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